Associate, Model Development

About the role

It Starts Here Santander is a global leader and innovator in the financial services industry and is evolving from a high-impact brand into a technology-driven organization. Our people are at the heart of this journey and together, we are driving a customer-centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible. This is more than a strategic shift. It’s a chance for driven professionals to grow, learn, and make a real difference.

The Difference You Make

The Associate, Model Development is responsible for supervising the development and maintenance of sophisticated empirical models—including credit scoring models—for a nonprime auto lender. The position is highly quantitative in nature and requires an individual capable of taking a “hands on” approach to data analysis. The role also involves summarizing and reporting information to a variety of internal and external clients.

• Supervises the development of complex mathematical models—including credit origination and customer behavior scorecards—which directly support critical decision-making processes and the company’s overall understanding of the business and markets.
• Develops the underlying assumptions, theory, empirical evidence, and conceptual soundness of statistical and mathematical models.
• Applies statistical techniques to analyze trends and uncover risks and opportunities relative to portfolio management and originations.
• Uses internal and external data sources to create robust model development datasets.
• Ensures modeling projects are conducted in accordance with established company policies and generally accepted mathematical modeling practices.
• Identifies modeling needs and communicates them to the Director of Quantitative Modeling.
• Periodically assesses department procedures for accuracy and completeness.
• Utilizes data mining and statistical techniques to develop analytic insights, sound hypotheses, and informed recommendations.
• Encapsulates analytic findings into executive-level summary documents to support senior management decision-making.
• Liaises with IT and other internal teams to define requirements and ensure the timely and accurate delivery of data elements required for analytic projects.
• Provides requisite information in support of independent model validation activities.
• Actively participates in the professional development of junior-level statisticians.
• Develops a thorough understanding of the firm’s operations and business practices.
• Supports model validation and documentation of models in accordance with Santander Consumer USA internal policies and U.S. Federal Reserve regulations (SR 11-07).

What You Bring

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Education
  • Bachelor’s Degree in a related field or equivalent demonstrated through a combination of work experience, training, military service, or education – Required
  • Master’s Degree in a related field or equivalent demonstrated through a combination of work experience, training, military service, or education – Preferred
• Qualifications
  • 5+ years of analytics experience in the financial services industry – Required
  • 5+ years of indirect subprime auto financial services industry experience – Preferred
  • 5+ years of prior experience developing credit scoring models – Preferred
  • Demonstrated experience with logistic regression models, segmentation and variable reduction techniques, hypothesis testing, neural networks, design of experiments, ANOVA, decision trees, and linear regression
  • Prior experience working with credit bureau data
  • Prior experience using SAS, particularly SAS Base, SAS/STAT, PROC SQL, and SAS Macro programming; additional knowledge of R preferred
  • Demonstrated ability to use SQL and SAS to extract data from multiple data sources
  • Demonstrated ability to merge, concatenate, clean, and prepare extremely large datasets for statistical analysis and mathematical model development
  • Demonstrated ability to create complex pivot tables in Microsoft Excel
  • Ability to effectively explain advanced mathematical concepts, techniques, and analyses to a business audience
  • Ability to translate analysis into a clear business plan
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to delegate and coordinate multiple tasks related to the development and monitoring of statistical models
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without requiring employer sponsorship to commence employment.

Pay

The base pay range for this position is $90,000.00 to $170,000.00 USD annually. The exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, training, licensure and certifications, and location.